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Biology Graduate Salaries in California

Federal earnings data for every California college offering Biology, ranked by 10-year median graduate salary. Sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard — real tax-reported income, not surveys.

Median earnings
$65,083
10 years after enrollment
Highest-earning school
$138,687
Harvey Mudd College
Schools analyzed
49
in California

Biology in California. Biology is the standard pre-med major. Research opportunities and pre-health advising at the undergraduate level meaningfully affect medical school admission rates.

Typical career paths: Pre-Med (with med school), Biomedical Researcher, Genetic Counselor, Pharmaceutical Scientist, Public Health Specialist. Median starting salary range: $50,000–$85,000. School choice can swing graduate earnings by 30–60% — which is why we rank by federal data, not prestige.

Top Biology schools in California by graduate earnings
Ranked by 10-year median earnings · all schools have a Biology program
#School10-yr earningsNet price/yr
1Harvey Mudd College
Claremont, CA
$138,687$35,924
2California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA
$128,566$16,075
3Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, CA
$104,736$28,849
4Northeastern University Oakland
Oakland, CA
$92,538$25,181
5University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA
$92,446$13,481
6California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA
$90,768$16,665
7University of California-San Diego
La Jolla, CA
$84,943$12,470
8Dominican University of California
San Rafael, CA
$84,713$35,333
9Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science
Los Angeles, CA
$83,438$35,558
10University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
$82,511$12,548
11University of California-Davis
Davis, CA
$80,838$14,741
12University of California-Irvine
Irvine, CA
$80,735$14,251
13Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA
$78,349$48,381
14University of California-Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA
$74,915$16,109
15Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA
$72,379$21,413
16California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Pomona, CA
$71,902$11,531
17California State University-East Bay
Hayward, CA
$71,401$9,320
18Chapman University
Orange, CA
$70,070$46,555
19California Lutheran University
Thousand Oaks, CA
$68,712$30,109
20University of California-Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, CA
$68,396$17,890
21University of California-Riverside
Riverside, CA
$67,699$14,304
22National University
San Diego, CA
$67,548$22,878
23Azusa Pacific University
Azusa, CA
$66,677$22,212
24University of La Verne
La Verne, CA
$65,464$20,161
25Concordia University-Irvine
Irvine, CA
$65,083$28,115

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are 10-year median income for graduates of each institution (all majors, since program-level earnings are released only for select fields). Refreshed every 24 hours.

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Frequently asked questions

What do Biology graduates earn in California?

The median 10-year earnings for Biology graduates from California colleges is $65,083, with a range from $36,526 at lower-earning schools to $138,687 at top-earning schools. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Which California school has the highest Biology graduate salary?

Harvey Mudd College ranks first among California schools offering Biology, with a 10-year median graduate salary of $138,687.

How is "graduate salary" measured?

These figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. They reflect actual federal tax-reported income of all graduates 10 years after enrollment — including those who pursued graduate school and those who took industry jobs. They are not survey-based.

Are these salaries adjusted for cost of living?

No. These are raw federal earnings figures. California salaries should be considered in context of local cost of living. For example, $90,000 in California has different purchasing power than $90,000 in North Carolina.

Disclaimer: DecideMyCampus is an independent information aggregation service — not a licensed counselor, advisor, or educational consultant. All data is sourced from publicly available U.S. federal databases (College Scorecard, IPEDS) and is provided for informational purposes only. We do not promote or endorse any institution. Rankings are algorithmic outputs based on federal data — not professional evaluations or guarantees of outcomes. We are not responsible for any college admission, financial, or enrollment decision made using this site. Always verify information directly with institutions and consult licensed professionals. Full Terms · Privacy · Cookies